Orangutans Not Native to India Found in Odisha Forest; Government Orders Probe
· India · The Hindu, Hindustan Times
Forest patrolling teams rescued five orangutans in the Bichitrapur forest area under the Bhograi block of Odisha's Balasore district on Tuesday morning. State Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia stated that these critically endangered great apes are indigenous to the rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, and Sumatra in Southeast Asia. Authorities suspect an international wildlife smuggling racket might have released the animals in the forest bordering West Bengal. The state government has urged the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to investigate how the apes reached Odisha and asked transport hubs to verify CCTV footage. A veterinary team from Simlipal National Park is monitoring the animals' health before they are transferred to Nandan Kanan Zoo in Bhubaneswar.
Why it matters
This incident exposes potential vulnerabilities in India's border and transport security networks, raising urgent questions about international wildlife trafficking routes operating through domestic airports, ports, or railways.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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